Maine School Administrative District 52 has policy to keep gender identity of students hidden from parents; presentation to staff featured the “Genderbread Person”; presentation directed staff to gender clinic that provides “hormone therapy”

Parents Defending Education submitted a public records request to the Maine School Administrative District 52 seeking any guidance on transgender issues. The district provided PDE with a policy titled “Transgender/Gender Expansive Students Guidelines.” The policy is very similar to a policy that PDE received from a public records request to Maine School Administrative District 15 in which the superintendent of the district explained to PDE that the policy was created by the Maine School Boards Association (MSBA). This policy explains that the gender identity of students can be hidden from parents:

In the case of a student who has not yet informed their parent(s)/guardian(s), the administrator should first discuss parent/guardian involvement with the student to avoid inadvertently putting the student at risk by contacting their parent(s)/guardian(s). The student will be notified by the administrator prior to contacting their parent(s)/guardian(s).

The policy later states: “If a student requests a change to their name and/or gender in school records without parental approval, the Superintendent should be consulted, and the matter resolved on a case-by-case basis.”

Students and staff are mandated to use the preferred pronouns of other students: “A student who has been identified as transgender/gender expansive under these guidelines should be addressed by school staff and other students by the name and pronoun corresponding to their gender identity that is consistently asserted at school.” Students are also allowed to use the restrooms and locker rooms that match their preferred gender identity.

A “Gender Support Plan” was also attached to the policy. This plan specifically asks: “Are the parent(s)/guardian(s) of this student aware and supportive of their child’s gender transition?”

The district additionally provided PDE with a presentation titled “LGBTQIA+ Inclusion: Becoming an Ally in Education.” This presentation notably features the “Genderbread Person.” The “Genderbread Person” is an image that educators use in an attempt to teach students that gender is on a spectrum. One slide of the presentation is a comic strip appearing to tell participants that they may be gay without accepting it yet. This presentation states that 17% of Maine high school students identified as “LGBQ” and 3% identified as transgender in 2019.

Another slide appears to push teachers into using preferred pronouns through fear: “Respecting a student’s personal pronouns is suicide prevention!” Staff are also told to “be an ally” by displaying “pictures of LGBTQ role models in your classroom and office” and integrating “LGBTQ historical figures in your curriculum.” Teachers were additionally told to start including options for “preferred name” and “preferred pronouns” on forms.

The presentation further links to the Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center’s website. This medical center has a gender clinic that claims: “We also welcome opportunities to improve medical and mental health treatment of gender diverse and transgender children and teens in our community through collaboration, support, and education.” Treatments do include “hormone therapy.”